Change of Heart
by Troublesque
Summary: Karin and Minato battle it out, with Naruto risking his life to prove to his father that they are all the same and should remain so. Takes place the last 15 mins. or so of the Lion King II: Simba's Pride...with NARUTO Characters, of course


**Title: **Change of Heart (Clean)

**Pairing(s):** Uchiha Sasuke x Uzumaki Naruto

**Author:** Zev

**Rating:** K+ ((this story's safe fer da lil' tykes))

**Disclaimer:** All right's to Masahi Kishimoto and Disney.

**Word Count:** 3,058

**Notes: **This is a little story inspired by The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride. Takes place when Zira's Pride crossed into the Pride Lands to fight with Simba's Pride. During which, the storm brews and the river overflows…get the picture? Of course, the characters are changed to the Naruto ones, there are a couple randoms that probably don't make a lot of sense to why they're placed there, but it was a necessity.

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The rain fell as it had been for the last couple of hours and only seemed like it was getting heavier by each passing second. The ground was muddy, making traction near impossible. Blood and tuffs of fur were scattered all over the battlefield, making the heart in his clench in sadness at the sight. But there wasn't any time to dawdle on the thought.

They stood facing each other once again, each of their sides taking a small moment to catch their breath before the fighting resumed. It was the Karin's Pride from the outlands that challenged him this dreadful day. After Minato had succeeded in defeating Orochimaru to gain rights back to the Pride Lands, he had banished all of his Uncle's followers to the outskirts of the valley. Karin had always been in the shadows after Orochimaru, lurking, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

She had almost succeeded. The wench. Sending her son to do her dirty work in getting rid of Minato through his son, while his back was turned. But not tonight. Minato stole a quick glance around at his warriors; they were battered and bruised, worn out from the fighting. This next phase would decide it all. He would bring down his wrath on Karin once and for all!

The outsiders attacked and Minato's Pride countered, leaping to intercept them in midair. Bodies fell, claws struck faces and raked at sides, blood spilled from every inch of their beings. A trio of lions had ganged up to try and further injure Minato, be he was having none of it. He struck them down with a quick blow, knocking them to every side. One jumped on his back, biting into his shoulder and Minato grabbed it with his claw, ripping it away from his body.

The evil grin on Karin's face was clear to all. She urged on her warriors to fight. To aim for the vulnerable spots, to fight dirty. When she saw three of her subordinates surround Minato, she growled and began to move, jumping down from the ledge she was perched on, two of her pride members flanking her. "Minato…you're mine!" Waiting as the King's attention was on anything but her, she struck out with her paw, a powerful blow that forced Minato to the ground.

The warriors of either pride immediately ceased their actions, the snarls died in the wind and rain, paws froze in mid air as everyone turned their attention to watch the dueling pair in the center. Minato and Karin exchange growls and roars, circling each other as they began their battle. Their eyes never left each other, for fear they would miss their chance and become vulnerable. But both listened carefully and used their instincts to be wary of any enemy attacks.

Coming to a stop, Minato raised his wet, golden colored paw and as Karin raised her pale, muddy one: both of their claws extended for a killing blow. But a flash of lightning had them both pausing and a duel roar of anger stopped them in their tracks. When the light receded, Minato's eyes widened at the sight before him. His son along with Karin's son stood together, each of them facing their parents. "Naruto?" He asked, stunned that his son would stand in such a position.

"Sasuke?" Karin blinked before she crouched down. "Move."

"Stand aside!" Minato commanded his son.

Naruto's blue eyes shimmered at him. "Father, this has to stop."

"You are even weaker than I thought!"Karin glared at her son. "Get out of the way!"

"You will never hurt Naruto! Or Minato!" Sasuke growled back at her, crouching down to be ready in case she attacked him. "Not while I'm here." He didn't flinch when she spat at him.

Minato tried to reason with his son. "Stay out of this."

"A wise king once told me, we are one," Naruto reminded him. "I didn't understand him then." Shaking his head and before giving a small smile. "Now I do."

"But…" He argued, fully knowing that it was he his son was referring to. "…they—"

"Them. _Us._" Naruto pointed out. "Look at them. They _are_ us."

Minato looked away from his son to survey the others.

"What differences do you see?" Naruto asked.

Itachi's stance went from attack mode to a surprised one as the King looked at him and his brethren of battle. Was he…was Minato…_listening_? Did they have a chance? Itachi suddenly thought about the words of the young prince. Everything she said seemed to be true, even he looked around. They were the same. Why hadn't he been able to see it before?

Minato looked back to his son, trying to figure out why things had to be like this. But seeing the small smile on Naruto's face only made it more clear to him. He looked up as the sun's rays peeked through the clouds, illuminating his eyes. Funny, when did the rain stop? Turning back to his son, he sighed lightly, his head slightly cocking to the side as he smiled back before he brushed his head up against Naruto's, hugging him.

Karin glared, snapping order's to the side. "Itachi…now!"

"No, mother." He replied, looking between her and the lions in the middle. "Naruto's right." Finally, he moved from his position and took up the place next to his brother's side. "Enough."

"If you will not fight…then you will die as well." Karin said. She was tired of her family's betrayal! First Orochimaru was taken from her and then her oldest son! They would pay for what they had done, out casting her to a place where there was little chance of survival. Yes. They would all get what's coming to them. Minato would fall this day! But movement out of the corners of her eyes had her gasping in horror. Her warriors! They were sneering at her and moving to stand beside Minato's Pride?! "What? Where are you going?!" She commanded. "Get back here!"

"Let it go Karin." Minato said. "It's time to put the past behind us."

"I'll never let it go!" She growled, shaking her head and lowing towards the ground again. Minato's attention moved from her form as there was a loud cracking sound. Ignoring it, she focus all of her being on this one, last attack. "This is for you…Orochimaru…" She whispered to deaf ears. Crouching as low as she could possibly go, she launched herself at Minato, her claws outstretched and ready to kill.

Minato barely had time to blink before he saw Karin in the air, aiming straight towards him. He saw the murderous intent in her eyes and doubted that he'd get through a battle with her any less injured than he was. But a blur from the corner of his eye shot forward and tackled into Karin's side, making her roll away from him and over the side of the cliff. "Naruto!" He yelled running over to the edge.

"Naruto!" Sasuke called down, angry at himself for being in such a pitiful position without being able to help as he watched the lion he loved tumble down the rock cliff, his mother falling right alongside him.

Minato leapt down, extending his claws and using them to grip unto the layered rocks. "Naruto!" He called to his son again, his nails digging into the rock and slowing his speed as he leapt to a nearby ledge.

Naruto and Karin continued to fall, rolling and flipping over down the slope of the canyon. Both of them hit a ledge, making them airborne as they tried to find some way to keep themselves from falling. Naruto straightened his body and dug his nails into the layered rocks of the canyon, hissing at the sharp way the solid material ripped his nails apart. Redoubling his efforts, he also used his back claws, sliding down until he eventually came to an extremely narrow ledge.

"Hold on, Naruto!" Kushina yelled down to her son. The cracking sound became louder and as she turned her attention to it, water rushed over top of the log barrier of the canyon, the wood looking like knives as they were thrusted forward with the liquid. "Minato…" She whispered in horror, her ears flattening against her head as fear consumed her entire being. "Minato, the river!"

Minato pulled himself to a small pillar of rocks, doing his best to keep his balance as he heard Kushina's calls to him. Turning to see for himself his eyes widened and he gasped as she was right. The barrier of the river had given way, the now deadly rush of water consuming the bottom of the canyon. Gritting his teeth together, he leapt to a solid rock wall, sliding a little before he jumped to a nearby ledge.

Karin fell farther than Naruto, her weightless body like a feather as she was tossed into the air. She fell over the last cliffside, also trying to use her claws to saver herself from death. He left paw slipped, as she was greeting with the sight of the rushing water beneath her. Panic gripped her and she moved her paw back up, trying to climb her way up to the ledge. The rock underneath her back legs gave way, leaving her lower half to swing, dragging her closer to the deadly liquid.

"Karin!" Naruto's head appeared over the side of the cliff, his paw reaching down to her. "Give me your paw!"

She glared, her fear momentarily forgotten as she swiped up at the Prince's paw. If she was going down, she was at least taking the brat with her. But Naruto had seen her claws and had pulled up at the last second, her body slipping down the ledge even further. "Grah!"

"Karin, come on!" Naruto encouraged her, watching as the only thing keeping the lioness from falling where her nails at the very bottom of the cliff. The look in her eyes sent shivers through his body: her fear of death. "I'll help you!" He tried to persuade her. To help her _live_.

She redoubled her efforts, moving her limbs as fast as she could to try and gain more leverage to climb back up, if only to reach Naruto's outstretched paw. She moved her feet up, anchoring herself as she let her right arm extend upwards. Her last flicker of hope died when the rock underneath her feet broke her nails. "Gaaaaaaah!" She screamed as she fell backwards, her paws still outstretched as if she could still reach Naruto by some miracle.

Blue eyes widened in disbelief as the lioness was consumed by the raging waters. He watched as all that was left of Karin that he could see was her paw, but soon that disappeared as well as a large log smashed into it. Soon the waters forcefulness began to subside until it was nearly calm, the current still flowing as stray logs floated up on end. Naruto lay in his spot, searching for a sign of Karin before his father's voice startled him from his trance.

"Naruto…" Minato was on the ledge above his sons, smiling down gently at him, his paw extended.

"Father," The guilt was thick in Naruto's voice as he placed his paw within his father's. "I tried."

Together they climbed back up the cliff side, Minato having to help his son a couple times as Naruto's nails were extremely sensitive, before they reached the top. "Naruto." Kushina sighed as she embraced her son, standing by the edge to welcome him back. She wrapped her arm around his neck and held him close. She'd almost lost him. Kushina smiled at her husband as the King laid a big paw on Naruto's back, nuzzling his son's side.

"Wow!" Kiba trotted up, Lee standing on the back of his head and holding on to his brown ears as they approached the Prince. "That was really brave!"

"Yeehaw!" Lee punched the air.

After the attention from his parents, Naruto went to face his love. "Sasuke—"

"Oh, Naruto." He said, brushing their heads together before he hugged Naruto with his neck. He had almost lost the Prince. Then what would he have left?

Minato looked upon the duo with soft, sparkling eyes. "Sasuke..."

Immediately, Sasuke relinquished his hold on Naruto, bowing his head as he slowly approached the King. He was ashamed. For his mother's actions and his own. Sasuke was prepared for the worst.

"I was wrong." Minato admitted. "You belong here." He returned a smile when Sasuke initiated it, his smile turning into a grin as Naruto came to stand beside the dark colored lion, his son and Sasuke nudging each other. "Let's go home." He told them, turning to the group of once-outsiders that looked at him with hopeful eyes. "_All_ of us."

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

More warriors approached the entrance of Pride Rock, their differences of coat color no longer separating the lions into Pride Landers and Outcasts. They all sat in a circle, Minato with Kushina on his right, the closest to the den entrance. Kakashi stood next to them, his staff in hand as he smiled up to the King before he turned to Naruto and Sasuke, lifting his staff and rattling it over their heads. Minato smiled slyly, his eyebrow rising in curiosity as they continued to nudge against each other. He looked down at his Queen as Kushina rubbed against him, winking at her son as she copied his acts. Minato growled playfully as the remaining warriors took their places.

"I love moments like this…" Kiba said, looking down at his best friend.

"Yeah…" Lee agreed.

"Love," They said together, embracing each other as they cried tears of joy. "Not like…love!"

Sakura was standing on the ground next to Kiba, throwing her wings up of her head as she rolled her eyes from their excessive crying. _They're ridiculous._

Waiting a moment, Minato nudged his head to Kushina and the stood, walking side by side together down the middle of their warriors, nodding to the lions as they bowed in their respect for him. Naruto and Sasuke followed shortly after, although neither of them were paying attention to anything but each other. Coming to a stop at the very tip of Pride Rock, Minato stopped, waiting as Sasuke came to stand beside him on his left.

Kushina looked at her King with a teasing look as he roared out his position in the Pride. Once done, their eyes all turned to Sasuke who reciprocated Minato's roar with one of his own, giving Minato a 'what-did-you-think-about-that' look. Then together they all roared as one, Minato, Kushina, Sasuke and Naruto, telling the Pride Lands that they were the head of the lands. Calls from the other lions, yips from the Zebras, calls and stomps from the elephant, howls from the monkeys all answered their commanding roars.

The wind blew feathers, leaves and colorful pollen sweeping in the air around them as a warm ray of light shone down upon the quad on the rock. Minato glanced up, blinking as his father's voice resounded on the wind. _"Well done…my son…"_ Minato enjoyed the warmth as the wind continued to blow around them. Kakashi stood back a little ways, also looking up to the sky and nodding his head in agreement as Jiraiya's voice still spoke with the wind.

_"We are one."_

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**A/N: **

Well, that was certainly a trip. Haha. I just _love_ the Lion King. It has to be one of my favorite Disney movies. ((But not Lion King 1 ½….that one just makes me mad)) And yes, there are a few points I changed, but it wasn't anything too major.

Here's a little insight to which character replaced who in the story:

Mufassa – Jiraiya

Simba – Minato

Nala – Kushina

Kiara – Naruto

Kovu – Sasuke

Vatani – Itachi

Zira – Karin

Zazu – Sakura

Pumba – Kiba

Timon – Lee

Rafiki – Kakashi

Scar – Orochimaru

(I think I got them all?)

Anyways, this is the 'clean' version. There will be a 'dirty' version (for all y'all smut lovers out there ;) )

Of course Read and Review when you're done please!


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